Three new species and two new records of Hydnum (Hydnaceae, Cantharellales) from the Dabie Mountains, China

Hydnum ( Hydnaceae , Cantharellales ), one of the edible ectomycorrhizal fungi, is characterized by a spine-bearing hymenophore. It is widely distributed in temperate regions and forms stable symbiotic relationships with Fagaceae and Pinaceae . During a survey of macrofungi in the Dabie Mountains region of China, ten specimens of Hydnum were collected. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis using three genetic markers (ITS + nrLSU + tef 1-α), three new species ( H. luteoalbum , H. albodentum , and H. albotomentosum ) were identified and described, and two species newly recorded from the Dabie Mountains ( H. berkeleyanum and H. pallidomarginatum ) were reported. H. luteoalbum is distinguished by a white pileus covered with white tomentum, dagger-shaped or sword-like spines, and broadly ellipsoid basidiospores. H. albodentum is characterized by a pale brown pileus and subelliptical basidiospores (8.0–8.5 × 6.0–7.0 μm; av. Q = 1.17). H. albotomentosum features smaller basidiocarps, extremely short spines (0.5–2 mm), and globose to subglobose basidiospores. This study enriches the known taxonomic diversity of Hydnum and provides a dichotomous key to the species of Hydnum in China to facilitate species identification.